U.S. Pat. No. 7,927,454 B2 discloses a method of forming a metallic material on a receptor, and an article made therefrom. The method includes the steps of: placing a donor element proximate a receptor, the donor element including a donor substrate and a thermal transfer layer that includes a catalytic material and that is placed proximate the receptor; thermally transferring a portion of the thermal transfer layer from the donor element to the receptor; and electrolessly depositing a metallic material on the receptor by growth of the metallic material on the catalytic material. In the step of thermally transferring the portion of the thermal transfer layer, thermal energy may be conducted to the other portion of the thermal transfer layer adjacent to the portion of the thermal transfer layer to be transferred, which may result in poor resolution of the metallic material and short circuiting.
Moreover, it is desirable to form the metallic material with a precise pattern on a non-planar surface, such as a concave surface, a circular surface, a curved surface, etc.